Machine for charging clips which form the links of cartridge belts



F.P MACHINE FOR CHARGI ARR NG CLIPS WHICH FORM THE LINKS OF CARTRIDGE BELTS Filed Feb. 25, 1942 7 Sheets$heet 1 ja wvnfor Dec. 17, 1946. F. PARRY MACHINE FOR CHARGING CLIPS WHICH FORM THE LINKS 0F CARTRIDGE BELTS Filed Feb. 25, .1942 7 Sheets.Sheet 2' "LBW. 1:

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MACHINE FOR C HTCH FORM S OF CARTRIDGE BELTS Filed Feb. 25, 1942 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 THE LINK JFWenZar F. PARRY 2,412,747 MACHINE FOR CHARGI NG CLIPS WHICH FORM THE LINKS OF CARTRIDGE BELTS Filed Feb. 25, 1942 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 F. PARRY MACHINE FOR CHARGING CLIPS WHICH FORM THE LINKS OF CARTRIDGE BELTS Filed Feb. 25, 1942 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 7 M I G O w 1, 0 K T .0 x o fin Q I "m 4, I 1

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' F. PARRY 2,412,747 MACHINE FOR CHARGING CLIPS WHICH FORM THE LINKS OF CARTRIDGE BELTS Filed Feb. 25, 1942 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 g uummm fa v flzven ar Patented Dec. 17, 1946 UNITED STATES ,iiam

MACHINE FOR CHAR FORM THE LINKS Frank Parry, Deptford, London GING CLIPS WHICH OF CARTRIDGE BELTS S. E. 8, England,

Application February 25 In Great Britain 4 Claims.

This invention concerns improvements in or relating to machines for charging clips which form the links of cartridge-belts for automatic guns.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a clip charging machine which is capable of a relatively high output, which is easily movable from one place to another, which may be manually operated where no mechanical motive power can be provided and which requires a minimum of manual labour in its operation.

According to the invention there is provided a machine for charging clips appertaining to cartridge-belts for automatic guns, comprising a charging unit having pockets (e. g. flutes) adapted to receive and locate similarly oriented clips and a succession of cartridges each of which has its nose facing a clip, the charging unit including means to move the cartridges endwise into the clips lying opposed to them, a cartridge-feeding unit, a clip-feeding unit to deliver oriented clips, driving means (e. g. flexible driving means) adapted to connect said units for operation from a single source, said units being readily detachable frcm each other for the purpose of transferring the machine from one place to another, and means for maintaining reserves between the charging-unit and the cartridge-feeding unit and between the charging-unit and the clip-feeding unit, said means being arranged adjacent the charging-unit and arranged to feed the reserves yieldingly against the charging-unit.

By the provision of means for maintaining these reserves of cartridges and clips, it is unnecessary to ensure any timing between the various units when they are assembled. The coupling-up of the driving means will ensure that the various units will operate in synchronism, but the reserves will ensure that the charging-unit is properly fed during starting up, after which the cartridge and clip feeds will supply the reserves.

An interrupter device driven by gearing coupled to the charging unit may be provided which is adapted to prevent feeding of cartridges to the cartridge feeding unit at predetermined intervals so that cartridges from a further source of supply may pass into pockets which do not receive cartridges from the cartridge feeding unit. The machine may be adapted for driving by a motor or the like with provision for alternative manual operation with a free wheel device in the drive to permit this.

One embodiment of the invention will be described by way of example with reference to the 1942, Serial No. 432,358 February 26, 1941 accompanying drawings which show a machine for assembling a disintegrating cartridge-belt.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the complete machine drawn to a small scale.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of Figure 1 taken in the direction of the arrow A.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the charging-' unit.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of Figure 3 taken in the direction of the arrow B.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the clip feeding unit.

Figure 6 is an end elevation of Figure 5 taken in the direction of the arrow C.

Figure 7 shows a detail of Figure 5.

Figures 8 and 9 show a plan and elevation respectively of a portion of a disintegrating cartridge-belt.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of part of a clip charger.

Figure 11 is a plan of a clip for cartridge belts.

Figure 12 is a cross section of a chute suitable for feeding clips of the kind shown in Figure 11.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, a cartridge-belt is formed by clips I which are linked together by cartridges 2 in the manner shown in Figures 8 and 9. The machine, see Figure 1, comprises three units, the main unit being the chargingunit 3 which, briefly, comprises a rotatable fluted drum 4 adapted to receive aligned clips and cartridges and means to insert the cartridges into the clips, a cartridge-feeding unit 5 adapted to deliver cartridges into the flutes of the said rotatable drum, and a clip-feeding unit 6 adapted to deliver similarly oriented clips into the flutes of the rotatable drum. The three units are detachable from one another so that when it is desired to transfer the machine from one workplace to another, this can be done with the minimum of trouble, although the machine is, when assembled, a relatively heavy machine.

The drum of the charging unit has peripheral flutes 7, see Figures 3 and 4, which are parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum and the drum is rotatably mounted on a shaft 8 fixed in bearings in frames 9 and I0. These frames are fixed to cross-bars [9 which are secured to a pair of spaced angle irons H supported on legs I2. The angle irons are spaced apart from each other and secured to bars [,3 adapted to be slipped into grooves Min the legs. Clamp plates l5 are provided to retain the bars in position in the grooves in the legs when the machine is assembled. ,When' it is desired to transfer the machine, the legs can be removed from the angle irons by undoing the bolts which fix the plates ii to the legs. The pairs of legs which support the extremities of the angle irons are further tied together by flat stays it which can be Quickly removed by loosening collars I! on the round stays I8 Figure 2, whereupon the flat stays, which are slotted, may be lift'e'd'off the round y l v I The cartridge-clips and cartridges are delivered to the .fiutes 'I of the drum as described later and, when in the flutes, the clips are similarly oriented and aligned with each other and the cartridges lie one in each flute with their noses directed towards the aligned clips.

The frames 29 and 2| respectively of the cartridge-feeding unit are fixed to cross bars 22 similarto the cross bars l9 and these cross bars 22' are bolted to the angle irons H and provided with dowels so that the cartridge-feeding mechanism can be easily disconnected from the angle irons. The frames of the cartridge-feeding unit are also bolted and 'dowelled to the frames 9 and lot the charging-unit at 23 and thus, after removal, the cartridge-feeding unit can readily be replaced again and accurately aligned therewith. The. cartridge-feeding unit shown is the same as that described in the co-pending British patent application No. 2269/41 and only a brief description thereof will be given here.

The frames anad 2| support a hopper 24 having a plate 3? thus forming a box like structure. An endless travelling band 25 is mounted between the frames and the left-hand portion (Ffig'u'r'e 1) of the upper run thereof in conjunction with the plate 31 forms the support for the cartridges in the hopper. The cartridges leave the hopper in the gap between the band 25 and the bottom of the plate 31. The band movesin the direction of the arrow and feeds thefcar't'ridge's one at a time into the flutes I of the drum of the charging-unit. This endless band conveyor or transfer-device constitutes the means previously referred to for maintaining therese'rve'of cartridges between the chargingunit'and the cartridge-feeding unit. The band 25'of the transfer-device feeds the reserves yieldingly against the drum of the charging-unit. When it is desired that the cartridge-belt shall not be entirely composed'of cartridges of a similar kind, means may be provided periodically to interrupt the delivery of cartridges into the drum flutes from the reserve on the transfer-device so that a cartridge is not delivered into one of theidrum flutes 1. This flute subsequently receives a cartridge of a different kind, e. g. a cartridge containing a tracer bullet, from a different source of supply at a later stage.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4 the interruption of the delivery of cartridges from the reserve is efiected by a hooked plate 26 which is fixed to a spindle '21 pivotally mounted in the frame of the charging-unit. To the spindle 2'! there is'secured a lever 29 whose free end is pivoted to a link 30'. The other end of the link is connected to one end of a cam lever 3i pivoted at 32 to the frame 9. A roller 33 on the lever engages "a cam' 34 which thus causes the plate 26 to beos cillated at intervals, say after every fifth cartridge has been delivered to the fluted drum, and the hookedportion of the plate then prevents the'fee'ding of' a further cartridge until one'fiute 4 has passed the cartridge-delivery position. The empty flute receives a cartridge from a further supply which comprises a downwardly directed support 35 and guide-elements 36, which latter guide a cartridge into the empty flute when the latter passes beneath the guideelements.

The cartridges between the guide-elements 36 are, normally, resting against the fluted drum and ride over the cartridges which are delivered to the drum from the transfer-device 25. This arrangement causes the cartridges between the guide-elements 36 to be agitated by the action of riding over those already received by the drum and this agitation assists the movement of the cartridges between the guide-elements towards the drum,

The clips are delivered to the fluted-drum by the clip-feeding unit 6 which is bolted and dowelled at 38 to the frames of the cartridge-feeding unit so as to be readily detachable therefrom. The clips are contained in chargers consisting of long rectangular boxes 39 having one end open,

see Figure 10. A resilient catch 453 located near the open end of the charger is provided to retain the links within the charger. The links are similarly oriented when they are placed into a charger so that when they are delivered therefrom, they are delivered to the flutes of the drum in the desired arrangement.

The chargers are superimposed in a magazine ii, Figures 5 and 6, and a pusher 42 is arranged to move the lowermost charger from the bottom of the magazine and to move it transversely of its length on to a platform 43 which is inclined downwardly towards the fluted drum. Mechanicaily operated stops M are provided to locate the charger"laterally in position on the platform while a guide-element 5|, described below, forms a guide for the downwardly directed (i. e. the open) end of the charger. When the charger is in position on the platform, the rear end of the charger is engaged by a pusher-element 45 which moves'thejcharger lengthwise and in a downward direction for a short distance and into engagemerit with projections 46 and 41, one of which, 46

(which-is formed by recessing the wall of the chute48 referred to below and indicated in dotted lih'es' on Figure 6) engages the leading end of the charger and locates it'in position while the other, M, Figure 5, which is of wedge shape, causes the resilient catch to 'be moved outwards from the wall of the charger so as to release the clips contained in the charger. During the downward movement'of acharger the element 5l"i'noves with it as a controlling device until the open end of the charger almost engages the projections 46' and 3? when the element 5| moves onto clear the charger opening. On being released, theclips fall by gravity down an inclined chute 48 the base of which constitutes an extension'of the platform '43 and the lower end of which is located in close proximity with the fluted drum; see Figures 1 and 3. This downwardly inc'linedchute vconstitutesthe means referred to above for maintaining a reserve of clips between the charging-unit and the clip-feeding unit and feedstheclips' yieldingly against the charging unit." The interior surfaces of the chute are suitably shaped to ensure that theclips' l are maintained in alignment and a top wall 49 is arranged to keep the clips 'down. A parttifi of this top wall is'hingedly mounted, seeFi'gure' 1,'to allow the reserve to be built up by hand, priorto starting up th'e machine. It should be understood thatth'ere' 'are'numerouskih'ds of clips in use at the present time and their shape varies accordnecessary to align the clips in order to obtain sat-- isfactory feeding. To enable such clips to be fed satisfactorily the chute 48 is therefore made with the cross-section shown in Figure 12 where a central rib 52 raises the middle loop of the clip and a stepped mechanically operated plunger 53 intermittently presses the clip against the opposite wall of the chute. The pressure is suificient to bring the width of all clips to the same dimension and the upper step of the plunger presses the middle loop against the edge as of the top guide (which constitutes a datum) and thus all the clips are properly aligned and sized.

The flutes of the drum 4 are so constructed that at the position at which the clips are received thereby, the ribs which separate adjacent flutes are reduced in dimension and the shoulders of the clips are located by these reduced portions. For example, in Figure 4 it will be seen that the flutes which receive the clips are subdivided by two deep peripheral grooves 55. The central fluted disc thus obtained engages the central portion of the single member of the clip i while the two ribs thereof lie in the grooves 55. The two outer fluted discs engage the two other members of the clip. If desired, this portion of the fluted drum may be differently shaped or constructed to suit any minor difierences in the varieties of clips at present in use.

When a charger has been emptied, the guideelement 5| which engaged the leading end of the charger during its lengthwise-downward movement, is caused to move the empty charger lengthwise in a rearward direction so that it is aligned with the next loaded charger which is to be moved into position on the support or platform 43. As the next succeeding loaded charger is moved on to the platform, it moves the empty one laterally from the platform and the empty charger is delivered to some suitable position, for example it is caused to fall into a receptacle 58, Figure 6. Clips from the newly presented charger are released as in the previous case.

The fluted drum 5 is kept supplied with clips and cartridges by the mechanism described above, and rotation of the drum causes the bases of the cartridges to engage a fixed cam 57, Figure 4, which moves the cartridges lengthwise along the flutes and into the clips, thus forming a cartridge belt. A fluted disc 53 provides a reaction surface to hold the clips in alignment during this operation. A flexible strap 59 holds the resulting belt against the drum until at the lowest position reached by the drum flutes the belt falls away from the flutes. A stripper 66 is provided to ensure positive removal of the finished belt which then moves along a plate 6! being guided by a guide 62.

Since the machine comprises three separate units, flexible driving-means is provided to drive the assembled driving units. This driving-means comprises a chain drive.

The machine may be driven by hand or power, the latter being preferable where conditions permlt though for short runs, hand power is quite satisfactory. As shown in Figures electric motor 1 and 2 an 63 is provided, supported on one pair of legs l2. The motor may be easily detached for transport. A sprocket wheel 64 on the motor shaft drives a sprocket 65 on a counter-shaft 66, journalled in the frames 20 and 2|, by a chain 61. The sprocket 65 is a free wheel sprocket, for a purpose explained later. A clutch 68 on the counter-shaft 66 is provided and arranged to break under a certain load to avoid damage if jamming should occur. A small gear wheel 69 on the counter-shaft '66 engages a larger gear wheel 10 on a shaft 1! also journalled in the frames 20 and 2|. The outer end of the shaft 1| has fixed thereto a sprocket wheel ?2 on which a chain 13 runs. This chain passes around other sprockets l4 and 1 5 which are fixed to the spindles of rollers on which the endless band 25 is carried as explained in detail in th specification referred to. Thus the cartridge feeding unit is driven from the main drive and in separating this unit from the frame of the machine the breaking of the drive merely involves uncoupling the chain 61.

On the outer end of one of the band roller spindles, marked 16, there is fixed a small gear wheel 1?, see also Figure 3, which engages a similar gear wheel 18 rotatably mounted on the frame 9 of the charging unit. This gear wheel engages with a larger gear wheel is similarlymounted on a spindle which passes through the frame e. The gear wheel 79 also engages a small gear wheel 8| rotatably mounted on a pin in the frame 9 and this small gear wheel in turn engages with a large gear wheel -82 which is fixed to the drum 4. The spindle 80 also has fixed thereto on the outside of frame 9, a larger gear wheel 83 which engages an intermediate gear wheel 83 rotatably mounted on a pin fixed to a quadrant plate H3 pivoted on the spindle 80 and arranged to be clamped in position by a bolt acting in the curved slot 2l3, Figure 3.

The intermediate gear wheel drives a further gear wheel 85 to which is fixed the cam 34. The gear wheels 83 and 85 may constitute change gears, that is gear wheels having different numbers of teeth may be substituted for the gear wheels shown, in order to vary the ratio of the number of strokes of the hooked plate 26 per revolution of the drum 4, thus enabling different ratios of the cartridges provided by the hopper 24 and the supplementary feed chute 35 to be achieved. When changing the gear wheels 83 and 85 the angular position of the quadrant will be suitably adjusted. The cam 34 is preferably formed as shown in Figure 7, by two superimposed cam discs which can be angularly adjusta ble with respect to one another. In this way the timing (i. e. the period of dwell at the up and down positions) of the hooked plate per revolution of the cam may also be varied as both discs engage the common roller 33. Thus all the charging unit mechanism is driven from the cartridge feeding mechanism but when the charging unit is removed from the machine it is only necessary to take it off and the drive is broken by the simple disengagement of the gear wheels 11 and 18.

The clip feeding unit is driven by a chain drive comprising a sprocket wheel 86 fixed on the shaft 1| previously mentioned, a chain 81 passing round this sprocket wheel and a further sprocket wheel 88, see Figures 5 and 6, mounted on the cam shaft 89 of the clip feeding unit. On the camshaft are fixed two plate cams 90 and 9| and the pressure of the spring a crown cam BZseeFigure 6. The cam-90 engages a roller 93 mounted on a lever Slpivoted at 95 to the frame 960i other end of the lever Ellis connected at 91 to a link 98 which couples the ends of thebell crank leverson which the stops 44 are formed. The cam 9| engages a roller 99 on a lever lull pivoted at Hi! to the frame 96. Theother end of this lever has fixed thereto the guide-element Whilei-at an intermediate point I02 the lever is pivoted to a link I83 to the other end of which is pivoted the pusher '45. The crown cam 92 is engaged by a roller I04 on one of a pair of arms H4 pivoted at 995 to the frame 95. To the upper ends of these arms there is fixed the pusher 42. Springs shown in Figures-5 and 6 effect the return movements by holding the rollers against their respective cams. The sprocket wheel 88 is loosely mounted on the camshaft 89 but is operatively coupled thereto by a pin I06 fixed in a handwheel I07 whichnormally enters a hole in thesprocket wheel 88. If it is desired to advance the rateof clip feeding relatively to the movements of the rest of the machine, the handwheel may be drawn backwards on its shaft against I08 and then turned for a revolution to feed a charger on to the platform 43 whereupon the pin once more springs into the hole. In this way the charger feed may be accelerated, for example, in cases where partly empty chargers have been supplied or in setting upthe machine. With the driving arrangements described it is thus only necessary to uncouple the chain 81 when removing the clip feeding unit from the machine.

The machine isarranged to be driven by the motor but it is capable of being operated by hand, for example when the motor is stationary, to clear a jam or fcr'temporary manual operation for, say, a short run, or if the power supply fails. The manual operation is effected by the handwheel Hi9 and the shaft 6%; may be turned without moving the motor'because of the free wheel sprocket 65. The reserve of cartridges and clips should be built up by hand before starting to operate the machine.

The machine above described is particularly suitable for charging cartridge-belts with cartridges of a fairly large, calibrae. g. the pro-jeotiles are of the-order of /2 inch or 20 mm. or even larger.-

7 What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A machine for charging clips appertaining to cartridge-belts for automatic guns, comprisinga charging unit includinga supporthaving pockets receiving a succession ,of, similarly oriented clips and a succession of cartridges with the nose of each cartridge facing a clip, and a device coopcrating with said support to move the cartridges endwise into the clips lying opposedto them, said support and said device being relatively movable, a cartridge-feeding unit delivering cartridges to said support, a clip-feeding unit delivering ori-, ented clips to said'support, driving means connecting said unitsfor operation from a single source, readily detachable means operatively associating said units, each of said units including an elongated,smooth,surfaced conveyor arranged to dethe clip feeding unit. The

liver the articles. being conveyed against said support to cause the articles to accumulateadiacent said support to form a reserve supply.

2. Amachine for charging clips appertainingto,

cartridge-belts for automatic guns, comprising a charging unit including a rotatable drum having pockets adapted toreceive andlocate a succession of similarly oriented clips and a succession of cartridges with the nose of each cartridge facing a clip, and a device cooperating with said drum to move thecartridges endwise into the clips lying opposed to them,

livering cartridges to. said drum, 2. clip-feeding unit to deliver oriented clips tosaid drum, driv-.

ing ,means connecting said units for operation from a single source, readily detachable means for operatively associating said units, each of said units including an elongated, smooth surfaced conveyor arranged to deliver the articles being conveyed against said drumto cause the articles to accumulate adjacent said drum to'form a reservesupp 3. A machine for charging clips appertainingto cartridge-beltsfor automatic guns, comprising a chargin unit including a rotatable drum having pockets adapted to receive and locate a success.

sion ofsimilarly oriented clips and a succession of cartridges with the nose of each cartridge facing a, clip, and -a device cooperating with said drumto move the cartridges endwise into the clips lying, opposed to them, a cartridge-feeding unit for delivering cartridges to said drum, a clip feed-o ing unit to deliver oriented clips tosaid drum, driving means connecting said units for operation from a single source, said driving means including chain and sprocket gearing interposedbetween said cartridge feeding and clip feeding units .and said source, readily detachable means for opera', tively associating said units,each o-fsaid units including an elongated, smooth surfaced conveyor arranged to deliver thearticles :being conveyed against said drum to cause the articles to accumulateadj acent said, drum to form a reserve supply.

4.- Amachine for charging clips appertaining to cartridgeebelts for automaticguns, comprising a charging unit including a support having pockets adapted to receive and locate a succession of similally, oriented clips and a succession of cartridges with the nose of each cartridge facing a clip, and a devicecooperating with said support'tomove the cartridge endwise into theclips lying opposed to them, said support and said device being relae tively movable, a cartridge-feeding unit for delivering. cartridges to said support, a clip-feeding unit, to deliver oriented clips to said support, driving means connecting said units for operation from a, single source, said driving means including a one-way clutch device, and manually operable means, disposed intermediate said clutch device and said units for driving the latter independently of saidsource; readily detachable means for op eratively' associating said units, each of said units including an elongated, smooth surfaced conveyor arranged to deliver the articles being conveyed against said, support to cause the articles to accumulate adjacent said support to form a, reserve supply'.

FRANK BARRY.

a cartridge-feeding unit for de-. 

